Legends and Truths
by Sovereign's Soul
Summary: They couldn't remember. Now they wonder why. {Rated T just in case}
1. Reunion

"So, you were drawn here as well..." The electric beast, having been sitting in the center of the path heading to the destroyed building the humans had once called the Brass Tower, in broad daylight, no less, started, eyes torn from the charred building to the beast behind it. The fire based sibling stood off to the side.

"I guess... I just felt... Like I needed to come here. For some reason." The first sighed, head bowed.

"It was the same for me." The second admitted. "Do you suppose...?"

"I expected I'd find you both here." A third beast joined the two, bounding out of the tree line to meet them. The three sat in silence, just watching the burned tower as if expecting something to happen.

"Entei, Suicune." The first inclined its head to each as it spoke. "Do either of you... Remember anything before Ho-Oh?" Entei gave a small shake of its head.

"It's the same for me." Suicune confirmed. "Before the memory of Ho-Oh there's nothing. Just darkness." It sighed. "And flames." Entei flinched slightly at that.

"Did we even exist before that?"

"Raikou, you always seemed to be the least likely to dwell on the past like this. What caused it?" Suicune cut the electric type off before it could continue down that line of thought.

"I... Don't know, yet I can't-"

"Splash, Smoke, hurry up!" A voice interrupted Raikou, coming from behind them. All three turned to see a young Jolteon rush into view, followed closely by a Vaporeon and a Flareon.

"Spark wait!" The Vaporeon exclaimed, rushing forward to block his path. "Kuni said we needed to stay away from the Burned Tower!" She said, none of them noticing the three Pokemon farther down the path yet.

"Miki said that as well." The Flareon confirmed, walking up behind them. "And I'm pretty sure Sayo said the same."

"She said nothing of the sort." The Jolteon sniffed. "And I want to explore. One of the trainers yesterday? Had a Koffing from the Burned Tower traveling with her. I heard some of the stories he was telling during a break between battles. It sounds fasci-"

"Your trainers are correct. The tower is dangerous." Suicune cut in, walking up to the trio. Entei followed, while Raikou only sat where it was, staring up at the tower. Even as it spoke the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. "You should return to them."

"I... You're..." The three of them retreated a few steps as the Jolteon stuttered.

"Suicune speaks the truth, you should return." Entei added then. The three of them nodded numbly, turning and running down the path even faster than they had come.

"Entei, Suicune?" Raikou spoke then. "I want to talk to Ho-Oh."


	2. Remember

"Ugh, towers." Entei grumbled, legs spread out slightly to help with balance atop the slowly swaying Bell Tower.

"You look ridiculous." Suicune chuckled slightly. Only Entei seemed bothered by the movement, both Suicune and Raikou moved easily as the electric beast paced back and forth.

"How do we even know Ho-Oh will come?" Entei grumbled in response.

"We don't." Suicune answered with a sigh. "But if it helps whatever mood Raikou is in curre-"

"**You have a question for me, beast of lightning?**" The voice was both spoken out loud and within their heads as in a brilliant light Ho-Oh appeared. All three of them slipped into a type of bow before any of them dared to speak.

"I do..." Raikou answered quietly.

"**Then ask it.**"

"Did..." The electric type faultered for a second before glancing back at the others for reassurance. Suicune gave a small nod. "Did we truly have a life before this one, as the story the humans tell says? If so, why do we not remember?"

The legend was silent for long enough that all three of the beasts grew nervous.

"**You did. I removed those memories for your sakes.**" Ho-Oh's head lowered ever so slightly to meet Raikou's. "**Are you unhappy with my decision?**"

"At times, yes." Suicune answered then, stepping forward. "At times, we wish to remember what it is that we lost to gain what we have."

"**Hmm.**" Ho-Oh's gaze moved from Raikou to Suicune. "**You make an interesting point, beast of water. But should you begin to long for what it is you lost?**"

"Is that not the price one must pay for the memories?" Again there was silence for a few heartbeats before Ho-Oh chuckled.

"**A true enough response. Is the return of these memories what all of you wish?**" It's gaze moved to Entei then. "**This is not a gift I will bestow to some but not all.**" Ho-Oh blinked. "**You look uncomfortable, beast of fire.**" Even as it spoke, the swaying of the tower stilled, allowing Entei to stand up correctly.

"I think I'd like to remember as well." Entei shrugged.

Ho-Oh blinked once more before accepting the answer as a yes. "**Very well.**" It spread it's wings wide, and the three were blinded by light.

"_Sui, Ent, hurry up!" A Jolteon stood outside the Brass Tower, oblivious to the storm clouds gathering above. She was an electric type, what could it do?_

"_Rai, are you sure about this? We were told to stay near-" A Vaporeon walked up slowly, casting his gaze around warily._

"_It'll be fine. You worry too much. Where's Ent?" She asked, staring down the path._

"_Coming. He should be..."_

"_I'm here, I'm here." A Flareon appeared, rolling his eyes. "Are we doing this or not?"_

"_I still think-"_

"_Of course we are. Come-" A loud rumble drowned out the rest of her sentence as she lead the way, pushing the door open. Thunder._

"_So what is this supposed to be, again?" Ent asked boredly, trailing behind the other two. _

"_It's for a legend, isn't it?" Rai asked. "Ho-Oh, I think."_

"_... No, Rai. That's Bell Tower. Brass Tower is for Lugia. Don't you two pay attention?" Sui sighed, though his eyes were still flickering from place to place nervously, and each rumble of the thunder made him jump slightly._

"_Why would we? That's why we have you, Sui." Ent snorted. _

"_Great, what are you two going to do if I stop helping you?"_

"_You won't." Both Rai and Ent answered at the same time._

"_... I hate you bo-." He was drowned out by a deafening crack. "Rai what was that?" He whimpered, pressing closer to her. Ent whirled around, tense, as if expecting an attack._

"_I... I have no idea. It sounded like..."_

"_I smell smoke." Ent said flatly, staring up at the ceiling. _

"_Lightning." Rai finished, just as a group of Rattata rushed past them, dashing towards the stairs to the floor below them. The first sign something was wrong. The trio became aware of a distant noise, sounding almost like roaring, and a faint red-orange glow from the stairs leading up. A beam crashed down on top of them seconds later, making them scatter. _

"_Ent! Sui!" Rai exclaimed, standing near the stairs leading down._

"_Rai, Rai we have a problem!" Ent sounded on the verge of panic, something that sent the Jolteon rushing away from the exit and leaping over the beam, now laying on a heavily sagging wooden floor. There, trapped under the beam, was Sui. _

"_Sui!" She managed to choke out. _

"_You both... Have to... Get... Out..." He muttered, struggling to breath. "Now... Please."_

"_But..."_

"_Come on Rai. We have to go." Ent muttered, moving to leap over the beam._

"_HOW COULD YOU SAY WE SHOULD LEAVE HIM!?" Rai snarled, leaping at him as he jumped, sending them both tumbling over the beam as a small chunk of flaming wooden plank fell._

"_He told us too. Plus, it's too late." He muttered, turning his head away from Rai. "We would never get out of here before the fire..."_

"_Says the Pokemon with Flash Fire! It won't bother you!"_

"_Rai I DON'T have Flash Fire!" Ent snapped._

"_All these years..." Rai muttered, backing up a few steps just as another fiery board fell where she had been seconds before. _

"_It was a lie, alright? I would use Fire Spin right before the attack connected. Most of the time it would negate the attack." Ent growled. "You had Volt Absorb, and Sui had Water Absorb, and I didn't want to admit that fire attacks could still harm me." Flaming debris was like rain now, and fire surrounded them._

"_Ent." Rai looked up, any fight she had was gone. "We..." She trailed off as the Flareon got to his feet, lunging forward to knock the Jolteon out of the way of a large section of the ceiling. "Ent!" She struggled to her paws with a cough, rushing forward to try and find her friend._

"_Sorry..." He could hear the voice, faint and full of pain, but she couldn't reach the Flareon, trapped beneath the planks. _

"_Ent, no..." Rai managed to choke out, falling to the ground mere seconds before the floor beneath her collapsed and everything went black._

"**Is this what you wished to know, beast of lightning?**" Raikou started, stumbling to her feet.

"N-no. It was.. I..." Near her, Entei and Suicune started to wake as well. They were atop Bell Tower once more.

"Raikou, calm down." Suicune whispered, pressing his side against hers to still the shivering. "It wasn't your fault." He looked up at Ho-Oh. "Thank you."

"**I would hurry, beast of water. Humans come to investigate.**" With that, Ho-Oh vanished.

"Come on." Suicune muttered. "We should go."


	3. Resolution

"Fifty years is a long time." Suicune muttered, crouching beside Raikou in the bushes. On Raikou's other side was Entei, and the three of them were watching the town. "Maybe she isn't..."

"I think we'd know somehow, wouldn't we?"

"I don't know about that." Entei sighed. "But I'm starting to get tired of-"

"Wait." Suicune cut him off. "Look, there, with the flowers." He directed his two companion's attention to an older woman, she had to be in her mid to late seventies, walking in the direction of the burned tower, a bouquet of flowers in her arms. "Is that...?"

"I... I think so." Raikou whispered. "I'm following her." She said before pushing past Suicune to keep pace with the woman while staying out of sight. Entei and Suicune exchanged looks before following her.

As the woman drew closer to the tower, she paused in her walking. "How long do you intend to follow me?" She asked out loud.

All three of them froze in surprise, but they emerged from the bushes soon after.

"Oh, my." The woman started, not having expected the appearance of the three. "I thought simply an Ursaring or the like." She muttered. "I'm afraid I don't have anything worthy of legends." She said regretfully. "Just flowers for those lost when the tower was."

To both Suicune and Raikou's surprise, it was Entei who approached her first, his eyes locked on her face. The woman didn't show any signs of fear, only slight confusion.

There was the distant rumble of thunder, and the woman frowned, her attention drawn to the sky.

"There's a storm every year, on this day." She spoke quietly. "Did you know that?" Suicune and Raikou both moved forward then to join Entei. The three of them tilted their heads slightly, as one. None of them had. "For fifty years, on this day, I have returned to this city to mourn the Pokemon that were lost." Her arms tightened ever so slightly on the flowers she carried, enough to be noticeable, but not to crush them. "And for fifty years there has always been a thunder storm when I do."

Raikou followed her gaze, looking to the darkening sky.

"I appologize." The woman said finally with a slight, but respectful, bow. "I really should return to Goldenrod City soon, but my flowers must be delivered first."

The trio retreated a few steps, allowing the woman to continue on her way unhindered.

"Is that it?" Entei asked quietly as rain started to fall.

"I think..." Raikou answered him slowly. "We know now. That's enough, isn't it?"

"Whether it is enough or not, I suppose that depends on us, doesn't it?" Suicune asked with a sigh, turning to leave.

"Is it that simple?" Entei looked to him, but he was already gone.

"No, Ent." Raikou sighed before she started to walk away. "I don't think it's simple at all."


End file.
